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Top Safety Tips for Summer Travel

July 2017

As we head into the peak of summer, the heat is on. That means more sunny days, more chances to be outside, more traveling, and, unfortunately, more deadly crashes.

With the warmer weather mixed with more drivers on the road, we end up with a higher chance of crashes during the summer months. This can be concerning, especially considering that most of us are just looking to get to our destinations quicky, but safely.

To help drivers this summer, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) put out a list of safety tips that we wanted to share to help make your summer travel season a safe one:

Safety tips from NHTSA for safe summer travel:

Perform a basic safety check. Routine car care like tune-ups, battery checks, and tire rotations are important and help with preventing breakdowns.

Check for recalls.Even the most informed car owner may be unaware that their recalled vehicle is in need of repair.

Protect your passengers. All drivers and passengers should wear seat belts. When you’re traveling with a child, it’s safest for them to ride in a car seat suited for their age and size, and all children 13 and younger should ride in the back seat.

Share the road and stay alert!Warmer weather will attract different types of roadway users, including motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Without the protection of a car or truck, these road users are more vulnerable. So put a safe distance – 3 or 4 seconds worth – between you and motorcyclists, and always be mindful of pedestrians or bicyclists.

Store an emergency roadside kit. Even well maintained vehicles can break down, so it’s a good idea to have a few emergency items readily accessible for your family’s road trip. In your kit, consider adding a cell phone and charger, first aid kid, flashlight, flares, jumper cables, water, and blankets. Even if you don’t have to use your kit, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that you have these critical items stowed in your cargo.

Don’t drink and drive. An average of 1 alcohol-impaired driving fatality occurred every 51 minutes in 2015. Be responsible, and don’t drink and drive. If you plan to drink, choose a designated driver before going out.

Avoid distraction. Distraction accounts for approximately 10% of fatal crashes and 15% of injury crashes. Distracted driving can be anything that pulls your attention away from driving, including cell phone use, texting while driving, eating, drinking, and using in-vehicle technologies and portable electronic devices.

Observe “Move Over” Laws. Move over and change lanes to give safe clearance to law enforcement officers assisting motorists on the side of the road. It’s the law in all 50 states (with 49 including tow truck drivers and/or roadside assistance).

By following these safety tips, we hope your summer is a safe one. Optotraffic is committed to increasing safety on our roads and will continue to work with law enforcement to increase public safety by offering innovative enforcement programs such as red light, speed, parking and more.